Another long chapter. Enjoy folks!

Chapter Nine

I went to work and tried not to smile too big because I knew Graham would ask questions. Well more questions than he was already going to ask. "So Swan how was your date with the devil last night?" I hung up my jacket and rolled my eyes.

"Can I not even sit my ass down before you start interrogating me?" He laughed as I sat down. "And for your information, it wasn't a date and no we didn't have sex. So there." I stuck my tongue out like a five year old and folded my arms. This, of course, made him laugh even more.

"Nope. So nothing happened last night?" I honestly think he doesn't really care now that he knows we didn't have sex.

"Nope." Nothing that you need to know about anyway. "So what's on the agenda today?" A few hours past and it was our lunch break. "Hey lunch is on me this time okay?" I got up and was about to put my jacket on when Henry walked in. "Hey Henry how are you?"

"I'm alright. I wanted to thank you for bringing Mom soup this morning." The color drained from my face and I could feel Graham's eyes watching us. "That was very nice of you. I know she's not been very nice to you since you came here." Has he been watching me?

"I'm just being a nice person, because that's what nice people do." Really Emma? That's what you come up with? He smiled up at me. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"I'm on lunch break. When I asked Miss. Blanchard if I could come thank you she said yes." Oh damn that means he told her about this morning…shit.

"Well that was nice of her." Great, so now I've got to fess up to two people now. Oh joy.

"Well I better get back to school. Have a good day." He walked out of the office and I didn't want to turn around. Graham was quiet and didn't say a word.

"So you brought soup to Regina this morning huh?" I turned slowly. I just lost my appetite.

"It's not what you think. She got sick last night and this morning when I went to Granny's for coffee and some food Granny ambushed me and gave me soup to take to Regina." This was about to become a heaping helping of word vomit.

"Ambushed you huh? How?" Oh damn. I sat back down and took a sip of Diet Doctor Pepper. I told him about this morning at Granny's and he agreed with Granny. Why does everyone think that I like this woman? I mean yeah she adopted my kid and is a good mother to him so…oh I don't know.

After work I headed home to pick up Regina's shirt and to clean her thermos. When I walked in there was no sight of Marry Margaret anywhere. I guess she's still at school working on teacher stuff. Like I told Regina this morning I called before I came over but she didn't answer. For some reason I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach so I went ahead and went over. When I got there her car was still in the driveway so I knew she had to be home. I knocked on the door but no one answered. That bad feeling just got worse and I knew what I was about to do was illegal and wrong on so many levels but I did it anyway.

I went around back and checked the back door but it was locked too. When I looked in a window I saw Regina lying on the floor. My heart sped up. I finally found a rock and smashed through a window. Breaking and entering…oh joy. I climbed through the kitchen window and hurried towards here. "Regina! Regina!" I checked for a pulse and it was weak. Her color had faded from this morning and she was white as a sheet. I fumbled for my phone and dialed 911. "Hello, I need an ambulance at the Mill's residence fast. She's unresponsive on the floor. Thank you." The next number I called was Marry Margaret. Please let her answer. "Hey! Is Henry with you?" Oh good. "Keep him with you for now. Long story but I'm heading to the hospital with her. She's unresponsive and I'm waiting for the ambulance now." I heard sirens coming down the street. "I've got to go." I ran to unlock the door.

"Where is she?" Two men came in the house with a gurney and followed me to the kitchen.

"I don't know how long she's been down for. I just got here." As they were putting her on the gurney I noticed one of them saw the glass on the counter and floor. "It's a long story. I'm riding with you to the hospital." The ride in the ambulance felt like it took forever. I answered all the questions I could but never took my eyes off Regina. She was taken back as soon as we got to the ER. Not soon after Marry Margaret and Henry showed up.

"Emma!" I turned and saw them coming my way. I could tell Henry was worried about his Mom.

"What's wrong with my Mom?" Before I could answer doctor Whale came out to see us.

"Miss. Swan, you got her here just in time." I was shaking on the inside and it was hard to breathe.

"What's wrong with her?" I didn't mean for my voice to be that harsh but I was worried.

"Regina seems to have a very bad strain of the flu. Her body was deprived of the water and nutrition it needed so she collapsed. How long has she been showing symptoms of being sick? If you know." Why do I have to keep telling this story?

"She was sick last night and threw up quite a bit. When I left she was in bed and I had her drinking sprite to settle her stomach. This morning she ate some soup and coffee and had more color so I figured she was doing better. She was moving around alright." I could see personal questions popping into his head but he didn't ask them. "Is she going to be alright?"

"Yes she'll be alright but we need to keep her for a few days to keep an eye on her. Henry will need to stay with someone until she is released."

"Can I see her? Please?" Henry's voice cracked and I could feel my heart break.

"She may not be awake yet but you can go see her in her room. She's in room 108. Emma, will you take him to her?" I agreed and we went back. When we got to the room a nurse was walking out.

"How is she?" The nurse stopped and looked at her chart.

"She has a tough road ahead of her but she will be fine. She's awake now but very groggy. Please use the hand sanitizer before you go in." Henry and I used the sanitizer and walked in. It was hard seeing Regina in the hospital bed with an IV and other wires coming from her. Henry ran to her bed and stood beside her.

"Mom?" Regina slowly turned her head to look at Henry.

"Hey Henry, how are you?" She patted a spot beside her. "Take a seat." Henry did as he was told and I just stood by the wall and didn't say a word. I had been texting Graham about what happened and to go get someone to fix Regina's window. Or at least put a board over it until it can be fixed. "How'd you get here?"

"Miss. Blanchard brought me after she got a phone call from Miss. Swan." Regina nodded and looked towards me.

"Thank you." Her voice was low and groggy from the drugs. "You found me?" I walked slowly towards the bed and took a seat in the chair next to it.

"Yes, I called to tell you I was coming over but you didn't answer. When I got there the door was locked so I went around back and when I saw you were on the floor I broke in." I paused. "Please don't have me arrested for breaking and entering." She chuckled.

"I won't. Just don't do it again." She looked back to Henry. "Henry, I'm going to be in here a few days so I'm going to have Em…Miss. Swan…stay at our house to take care of you. Okay?" She's what? Did she just about call me Emma? She really is drugged!

"Okay." Henry laid down by Regina and I knew I was going to cry if this kept up the way it was. Regina leaned her head on his and smiled.

"Take care of my son Miss. Swan. And I'll need you to do a few things at the office for me if they come up. You can get my house key from my purse which is in my office at home." I was speechless.

"I will. Just tell me what I need to do for you and I will." We stayed a little while longer and then Marry Margaret drove us back to her place. "I need to pack me a bag for a few nights before we go to your place, okay Henry?" He followed me into my room and sat on the bed while I got a small bag together.

"So why are you so worried about my Mom?" I hesitated as I put the shirts in the bag.

"What do you mean?" I continued to pack some pants.

"You were really worried about her at the hospital. And this morning you brought her soup." He thought a moment. "And you were with her last night." This kid thinks too much.

"Henry…" How do I put this? "It's a long story. But yes, I was worried about your mom because she's a good mom and she loves you. And, is a nice person when she wants to be." I zipped up the main part of the bag and went into the bathroom to get my toiletries.

"It seems like you're the only one who sees that besides me." I could tell he was worried and sad. "I know she's mean to most people but that's not the real her." I carried a few things and placed them on the bed to pack. Henry told me more about Regina and I could tell Marry Margaret was in the other room listening to our conversation. Not long after Marry Margaret drove us to Regina's.

"Okay, so do y'all have a guest bedroom I can put stay in?" Henry and I walked into the quiet home. Thankfully Graham had gotten someone to come fix the window before we got there.

"Yeah it's upstairs to your right. I'm going to take my stuff to my room. What are we having for dinner?" Oh God…I forgot about dinner.

"Uhm…let me take my stuff to the guest room and then we'll see what we can come up with. Sound good?" Was this some sort of trick Regina is trying to pull on me? Force me to take care of Henry and see how I do? No. There's no way she could have come up with that in the state of mind she was in. I just dropped my bag on the bed and headed downstairs. All the glass was cleaned up and it looked like nothing had happened. I looked through the cabinets and didn't find anything I knew how to cook. When I looked in the freezer I found a jackpot. Well at least for tonight. "How's pizza sound for tonight?" I heard Henry walk into the kitchen.

"Sounds good to me." He went and got a drink from the fridge and leaned against the counter to watch me. I went to the oven to preheat it while I got the pizza ready.

"Do you like extra pepperoni?" I looked back at Henry. "I found a bag of them in the fridge." His face lit up a little.

"You like extra pepperoni too?" I smiled. It was good seeing him a little happier.

"Yup. You want to put them on the pizza while the oven is heating up?" I placed the pizza on the pan and placed it on the counter.

"Sure!" He came over and grabbed the bag and started putting extra pepperoni on the pizza. I smiled. He's a good kid. By the time we were done with dinner and cleaned everything up it was time for bed. "Are you going to tuck me in?" I stopped at his door. "Mom does every night."

"Of course." I walked in and sat on the side of his bed. "You know we can go see her after I get off work every day if you'd like. I bet she'd like to see you on a daily basis like normal." I paused. "What do you normally do after school lets out?"

"I'd like that. I normally come home and start homework and just hang out until five when Mom gets home." Okay, mental notes: he gets out of school at three and comes home to do homework. Regina gets home at five and makes dinner.

"Alright. I'll try to make sure to actually cook for you while you Mom is in the hospital. You leave for school at 7:45 and meet the bus at the end of the street correct?" He looked a little surprised.

"Yeah. Mom wakes me up at seven for breakfast and so I can get ready." I saw cereal downstairs so that's his breakfast. Thank God that's taken care of. I can do this….I hope.

"Alright, I'll have you a bowl of cereal and milk on the table for you." He was about to fall asleep. "I'm going to go get settled in. If you need anything I'm down the hall."

"Night Miss. Swan." He snuggled under the covers.

"You can call me Emma if you'd like. Goodnight Henry." I switched off the light and went to unpack my toiletries.